A Light in the Dark (Taylor's Bend, #3)

by Elisabeth Rose

  Charlotte stared up at Arlo with wide blue eyes under a mop of dark curls.

  ‘Hello,’ he said and was rewarded with a big grin displaying tiny white teeth.

  ‘Arl,’ she said and clapped her hands.

  Arlo laughed. ‘You’re a real little sweetie, aren’t you?’

  Charlotte turned and took her bunny from the stroller.

  ‘What have we got planned for the next issue?’ Georgia sat at her desk.

  ‘Road maintenance and those potholes near the bridge. They’re really bad. I took a couple of photos but I’d like you to get some better ones. We’ll make that our lead. I’ll tackle the council and see if I can get some answers.’

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘Krista and Amy have a new stallion at The Grange. You could get some photos of him and write that up.’ Arlo sat down and looked at the computer screen, scrolling through the page layout.

  ‘I’ll give them a call. Good. What else?’

  ‘We’ll need some footy photos this weekend. Krista is going to do a regular fashion tips column starting next issue. We’ll alternate it with Oliver’s Vet Advice.’

  ‘Great.’

  ‘We need some more local news. Just a couple of items. I’m going to see Laurie and Dot today and you could have a wander around and see if anything pops up. Maybe talk to Rupe or Shannon. Drop in on the mayor and see if anything’s brewing. Ask him for a comment on general road maintenance. We might get a two-page spread.’

  Local pharmacist Vincent Ng was a feisty mayor. That road wasn’t in the town council’s jurisdiction but that didn’t stop Vincent firing off complaints. He’d welcome another chance to vent.

  ‘Any more info on the Petros affair?’

  ‘No. By the way, Riley’s coming to live with me for the rest of the year.’ He said it casually but nothing got past Georgia.

  ‘Wow. That’s great. You’ll love having him here.’

  ‘Well … he’s been having a few problems so I don’t know if I’m the best person to sort him out.’

  ‘You’re his dad. He worships you.’

  ‘What?’ he stared at her, totally astonished.

  ‘For God’s sake, of course he does. He’s really proud of you, anyone can see that.’

  ‘I didn’t know …’

  ‘Of course not. What kid tells their parents anything good about them? I never did. He told me he wants to be a reporter just like you.’

  ‘No way will he be doing that!’ Arlo shot back sharply.

  Charlotte stopped exploring the office and ran across to Georgia for protection, burying her face in her mother’s lap.

  ‘Why not?’ Georgia frowned and stroked Charlotte’s hair. ‘Don’t say that to him or you’ll bugger things up before you get started. He’s only a kid, he’ll change his mind ten times probably before he decides what he wants to do. What’s wrong with being a journalist anyway?’

  ‘Nothing, nothing. It’s just that … what I did was … dangerous.’

  ‘There are lots of different ways to be a journalist, Arlo.’

  ‘You’re right. One of them’s talking to Laurie and Dot. I’ll see you later.’

  The general store was a couple of blocks walk in the briskly chilled morning air. The sky was a washed out blue but not a cloud marred the expanse. He loved winter mornings like this. No frost because of the light breeze overnight but no doubt the icy blankets would return when the temperature plummeted after the relative warmth brought by the days of rain.

  He strode along cheerfully, exchanging the odd greeting with people and waving to friends driving by. Everyone knew everyone in Taylor’s Bend, if not well, at least by name. Made for a close-knit community which was good in some ways but dangerously claustrophobic in others. Especially if they closed ranks to protect someone. Would they do that if one of their own was the perpetrator? In Glenda’s case the community decision had been made as to who the culprit was. But was it right? Mia and Linda vehemently said no.

  Banjo wasn’t lying across the doorway in his usual sprawl of furry black limbs and tail. He should get Georgia to do a little piece on the dog. He was an institution in town as well as being a hazard to customers. Arlo pushed open the door. Banjo was just inside lying in a patch of sun coming through the window.

  ‘Morning, Arlo.’ Laurie never changed. Always smiling and ready to talk. ‘Too cold for Banjo out there today.’

  ‘He’s a smart dog.’

  ‘It’s his arthritis. He’s about ninety— a bit older than I am if you work it out. What can I do for you this morning?’

  ‘Chocolate biscuits.’ Arlo knew better than to come in and ask questions without buying something. ‘Georgia has Charlotte with her. The sitter is ill.’

  ‘Beth. Yes, she has that nasty bug that’s been going around. She won’t be over that for a week or more.’

  Someone would have been in and told him five minutes after Georgia knew. How that happened was a mystery.

  Arlo picked out two different packets of biscuits and took them to the counter.

  ‘I hear Mia Petros is at the house,’ Laurie said as he rang up the sale. ‘Packing up.’

  ‘Yes. Sad business.’

  ‘They were a real nice couple. Never thought Tony had it in him to do what he did.’ Laurie leant his hip on the counter, arms folded. ‘He bought her chocolates and flowers.’

  ‘When?’

  ‘Any time. Glenda told me. Said he’d come home with little surprises for her. No special reason. Said she’d never been treated so well in her life. A real romantic he was.’

  ‘That’s nice.’

  ‘Yeah, that’s why Dot and I were knocked for six when we heard.’

  ‘It was a shock to all of us. I hear Glenda’s ex is around a lot these days. I wouldn’t have thought her parents would be too happy to see him.’

  Laurie nodded. ‘He’s an odd bird, that Barry. Didn’t last, his second marriage. Only went two years. He regretted what he’d done, that’s for sure, but of course Glenda wasn’t about to welcome him back. It wasn’t his first affair, not by a long shot.’

  ‘I don’t know him at all, he’s before my time.’

  ‘He’s a property developer now. Greenhill Constructions. He was a builder at first but went into business with some other blokes from Wagga, brothers, I think, and they decided to go into development. Those projects out Bindubi and Willoughby way are theirs.’

  ‘Doing well?’ He knew the sites. There was a sign in a paddock on the road to Bindubi and another one past Willoughby. The places Henk mentioned. No action as yet. Both areas were still paddocks.

  ‘Seems to be. That’s why he’s around town more. He’s in the area. And Glenda’s death hit Paul and Lorraine hard. He was family for seventeen years. It’s a bond.’

  ‘Yes, it is. Why do you say he’s an odd bird?’

  Laurie’s reply was slower in coming than usual. ‘He’s friendly, good talker, one of those blokes who’s always buying a round, has lots of stories. You know the type?’

  ‘But?’

  ‘Dot always said there was something about him …’

  ‘Too nice? Smarmy?’

  He nodded.

  ‘Hannah said the same thing,’ Arlo said.

  ‘Funny how the women can see a man as smarmy who the men see as a good bloke. He had his share of women though so they didn’t all feel the same.’

  ‘A mystery for the ages.’

  Laurie chuckled. ‘Dot and I’ve been married for more than sixty years and she’s still a mystery. Nice piece on Les and Sal today by the way.’

  The new issue was stacked on the display stand.

  ‘Thanks. Would it be all right if I send Georgia in to do a little piece on Banjo? He’s as well-known as anyone else in town.’

  ‘He’d be honoured.’

  ‘Thanks, Laurie. Say hello to Dot. Is she well?’

  ‘Will do. She’s fine. She’s out the back cooking the books.’

  Arlo left him cackling and headed
back to the office to jot down a few notes on Barry and do some online research into his development firm.

  Back at his desk he pulled up the layout for the next edition and blocked out space for Banjo and The Grange’s new horse on page 3. With any luck Georgia would come back with some other snippets they could add. The mayor always had something to say. It was early days yet though and something was bound to turn up in the next two weeks.

  Satisfied for the moment, Arlo picked up the phone and dialled the shire council office to arrange an interview with someone from the road maintenance section. Face to face, preferably. Twenty minutes later he replaced the receiver with a curse and the words, ‘we’ll be in touch within a few days’ echoing in his ear.

  ‘Not bloody good enough,’ he muttered. He’d go over there himself this afternoon and demand an interview with someone further up the food chain. A call to the local member of parliament wouldn’t hurt either. Marianne Folds never passed up a photo op. He didn’t expect to get the brush-off from her office and he didn’t, quite the opposite. ‘Yes, Marianne is always interested in the concerns of her constituents. She can be at the site for ten minutes on Friday at two pm.’

  ‘Perfect. I’ll meet her there with my photographer. Thank you very much.’

  How would the council like them apples? He’d earned himself lunch.

  Arlo strolled past Hannah’s café, the hairdresser next door, the op shop, the pharmacy and went into the bakery. A woman was waiting at the counter while Tuan served Beryl from the library. She seemed to be stocking up for afternoon tea as well as lunch for the staff which comprised her and her two underlings. Tuan was carefully packing rolls, lamingtons and a fruit tart into boxes.

  Arlo made his selection while he waited. The woman in front glanced round at him. Glenda’s mother.

  ‘Hello, Lorraine,’ he said.

  ‘Arlo, good morning. Or is it afternoon?’ She smiled. ‘Lovely story on Les and Sal.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  ‘We enjoy the local interest pieces. Especially Hannah’s history.’

  ‘Hannah’s terrific, isn’t she? There’ll be another one in the next issue about our local bushranger.’

  ‘Ooh really? I never knew we had one.’

  ‘Neither did I. He wasn’t very successful, apparently. Got caught hopping through a fence trying to escape from the police.’

  Lorraine smiled and moved aside for Beryl to depart, laden with her purchases.

  ‘Sorry, can’t stop to chat,’ Beryl said. ‘See you both later.’

  Lorraine said softly as the door closed, ‘That’s a first.’ She turned to Tuan. ‘A brown sliced loaf, please.’

  Arlo grinned. Beryl would be a good source of information but nothing he asked would be in confidence the moment the words left his mouth and half of what she told him would be gossip. Laurie was similar but he wasn’t malicious. Beryl had that tendency on occasion and he had no doubt this investigation would be one such.

  When he stepped outside he was surprised to find Lorraine waiting on the footpath. ‘I wanted to talk to you,’ she said. ‘Are you going home now?’

  ‘Yes. We can walk together. What’s it about?’

  ‘Mia Petros.’

  Chapter 6

  ‘Mia Petros?’

  ‘You know who I’m talking about. You spoke to her yesterday.’

  ‘Yes, I know, but what about her?’

  ‘What did you and she talk about?’

  ‘Lorraine, I can’t tell you that and it’s none of your business.’

  She snorted in disgust. ‘Isn’t it?’

  ‘No,’ Arlo said. ‘I can tell you she’s here packing up the house.’

  ‘That’s no secret.’

  ‘She’s an only child so there’s no-one else to take care of her father’s affairs.’

  ‘I don’t know why she even bothers. He was a murderer.’

  ‘Someone has to. She can’t just leave it sitting empty. Tony was her father and she loved him. Her mother died when she was small. They only had each other.’

  ‘Are you trying to make me feel sorry for her?’

  ‘I’m telling you how it is, that’s all. She doesn’t feel sorry for herself and she doesn’t expect sympathy from anyone here. She won’t be staying.’

  Lorraine walked in silence until they reached the corner and turned into his street, stopping at his office door.

  ‘It’s not her fault what he did,’ she said.

  ‘No, it isn’t. How are you and Paul holding up?’

  Clearly the wound was as raw as ever. Perhaps it always would be.

  ‘We’re managing. One day at a time. Barry, Glenda’s ex, has been wonderfully supportive. It hit him very hard too.’

  ‘I never knew Barry. Before my time.’

  ‘Of course. I think he needs to be able to grieve with people who understand. With family. The children live so far away, you see.’

  ‘I thought …’ Arlo pretended to sift the information in his head.

  Lorraine cocked her head. ‘What?’

  ‘That he ran out on Glenda, had an affair.’

  ‘He did and we were very upset at the time, of course, but he bitterly regretted that infatuation—that’s what it was, an infatuation. He and Glenda had been having a few issues. That trollop seduced him and he had a moment of weakness. Men can be like that.’

  Arlo nodded wisely.

  ‘Glenda wouldn’t forgive him. If only she had she’d be alive today. She could be stubborn when it suited her.’ She pulled a tissue from her pocket to wipe her eyes.

  ‘She must have been very hurt by what he did.’

  ‘She was, that’s true. All those years together and he does that …’ She heaved a vast sigh. ‘Mid-life crisis. Men have them and they can’t help themselves. I told Glenda he’d be back with his tail between his legs and she should wait but she wasn’t having a bar of it. Look at the decision she made. She went and married that … that …’ More sniffs and tissue wielding.

  Arlo thought fast. He didn’t want to upset her further. Any more questions and she’d become suspicious.

  ‘Could you ask Barry to give me a call, please? I’d like his opinion and perhaps a quote for a story I’m doing. If he has the time.’

  The frown faded. ‘I’m sure he would. He has quite a bit of influence in the area because of his property developments.’

  ‘Of course. Greenhill Constructions. That’s even better. Could you ask him to drop in or give me a call?’

  ‘Will do. I’d better get a move on, Arlo. Paul is waiting for the bread for his lunch.’

  ‘I’m surprised you didn’t remember Greenhill was Barry’s company.’ The look she gave him implied he wasn’t worth much as a reporter if he forgot important details like that.

  ‘Me too but I’ve connected the dots now. Thanks, Lorraine.’

  Well pleased with his morning’s work Arlo went inside to brew a pot of tea and eat his roll. Just how upset with Glenda had Barry been? And how much did he resent the man who’d taken his place? Enough to commit murder? He’d been dismissed as a suspect almost immediately given the circumstances and he had an alibi. It had been a routine check as far as Arlo could remember. Never for a minute was he really under suspicion.

  ***

  Mia returned from dropping off the bags of clothing at the charity collection bin in Willoughby with the sense that she was getting somewhere with the house. She’d gone into the real estate agency where her father had worked and asked about listing the property for rent. Carl, the boss, was out but the woman she spoke to was very professional. Lauren Miller was new to the office and hadn’t known Tony Petros but knew of the case. Who didn’t?

  ‘We can take care of it for you. I’ll come out to have a look at the house and give you an idea of what work needs to be done for best rental return.’

  ‘I had a painter in this morning for a quote and I’m also having the kitchen renovated.’

  ‘What sort of work are you planning in
the kitchen?’

  ‘New floor and benchtops. New fridge. The oven and cooktop are quite new.’

  Lauren nodded. ‘I can point you to some tradesmen. When suits you for me to visit?’

  ‘Thanks. Any time suits.’

  So she was meeting Lauren at eleven the next morning.

  Arlo phoned that afternoon. Mia was immersed in some work her boss had sent her for immediate attention. A project they’d been working on had developed an unexpected hiccup. He apologised but if they waited until she returned to the office things would go pear-shaped. Mia agreed. They’d spent too much time on it to let it slide now.

  ‘Mia Petros,’ she snapped, her mind still on the document on the laptop screen.

  ‘Arlo here. Sorry, you sound busy. I’ll call back.’

  ‘Hi, I’m just doing some work that came up. It’s a bit urgent … give me an hour and I’ll come to your office.’

  ‘Okay. See you.’ He rang off.

  Mia resumed what she’d been doing.

  It was only when she was putting on her coat later that it dawned on her how accommodating Arlo had been. He didn’t argue or insist she stop what she was doing to talk to him and he’d inferred from her tone she was busy before she’d said anything beyond her name. How rare was that? In her experience, very. Usually the person calling, man or woman, would assume that their call took precedence over what Mia was doing at the time, busy or not, even if it was something that could wait. They’d just barrel right on, saying ‘I hate to interrupt but this will only take a minute’ and proceeding to take ten.

  She pushed the newspaper office door open to find a young woman at a desk and a toddler sitting on a rug on the floor with a picture book. A heater on the wall pumped out welcome warmth.

  ‘Hi.’ The woman smiled. ‘Can I help you?’ The hair piled in a messy knot on top of her head was dark red with electric blue streaks. Shiny silver daggers hung from her ears.

  ‘Hello. Arlo was expecting me. Is he here?’

  ‘Mia, right? I’m Georgia and that’s Charlotte.’ She stood up and stretched a hand across the desk. Mia shook it.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘He’s in the kitchen. He’ll be back in a sec.’